After a weekend full of marathon matches, Southwest Christian outside hitter Abby VanderGalien and the Stars somehow found a way to come up with a championship performance. Paced by VanderGalien’s 11 kills, the Stars outlasted Osseo in three games (25-22, 20-25, 15-8) to win the Gold Division championship of the 4^th annual Breakdown/Midwest Volleyball Warehouse Summer Elite volleyball tournament on Sunday, Aug. 4.

“Honestly, I have no idea (how we did it),” admitted VanderGalien, whose team was playing its 12^th match in less than 36 hours after finishing second in Saturday’s Silver division. “I was running on pure adrenaline.

“We thought today we’d be tired after playing all day yesterday,” continued VanderGalien. “But we were fired up to win. We made it far yesterday, but we were ready to win today.”

Senior outside hitter Mackenzie Horkey, the Breakdown’s Class A preseason player of the year, attributed the victory to gaining confidence as a team. The Stars graduated five seniors from last year’s Class A state runner-up and were breaking in a few new faces.

“At first it was kind of shaky, but it’s really running smoothly now,” admitted Horkey. “Much smoother than I thought.”

That’s a scary thought for opponents, as Horkey was nursing an injury that slowed her slightly, not that it was apparent most of the time. She also had 11 kills, while Abby Palkert added 9 kills, including a no-doubter to end the match. New setter Rachel Carlin distributed the ball for 21 set assists.

Southwest Christian was one of several teams playing on both days of the tournament, but along with New Prague were the only ones to play in the maximum 12 matches. Not only that, four of Saturday’s matches went a full three games and three more on Sunday, including the title match.

“It just comes from the heart,” said Horkey. “Stay consistent. Every ball counts.”

Hannah Pekarek paced Osseo with 10 kills, while Shiah Sanders and Jackie Jones each had seven kills. Megan Pekarek set the table for her hitters with 23 set assists.

In the other bracket championships, New Prague knocked off North St. Paul in the Silver Division (25-18, 25-18) and Stewartville beat St. Michael-Albertville in the Bronze Division (25-19, 25-15).

-- Tim Kolehmainen

Quarterfinals
Osseo def. Chanhassen 25-27, 25-13, 17-15
SW Christian def. Prior Lake 25-21, 19-25, 17-15
Delano vs. Cannon Falls 25-27, 25-17, 15-11
Thief River Falls def. Belle Plaine 25-22, 16-25, 15-12

Semifinals
Osseo def. Thief River Falls 25-21, 25-16
SW Christian def. Delano 25-19, 25-17

Final
SW Christian def. Osseo 25-22, 20-25, 15-8

Quarterfinals
Mounds View def. Wayzata Gold 25-20, 18-25, 15-12
North St. Paul def. St. Croix Lutheran 25-22, 25-19
Roseville def. Win-E-Mac 17-25, 25-13, 17-15
New Prague def. Fergus Falls 25-22, 25-18

Semifinals
New Prague def. Mounds View 25-21, 14-25, 15-7
North St. Paul def. Roseville 19-25, 25-14, 15-12

Final
New Prague def. North St. Paul 25-18, 25-18

Quarterfinals
STMA def. Jackson Co Central 23-25, 25-21, 17-15
Stewartville def. Hopkins 25-17, 25-17
Mankato West def. Willmar 25-21, 25-10
Monticello def. East Ridge 25-18, 17-25, 15-9

Semifinals
STMA def. Monticello 15-25, 25-15, 15-7
Stewartville def. Mankato West 20-25, 26-24, 15-13

Final
Stewartville def. STMA 25-19, 25-15

Chanhassen def. Mounds View 25-18, 25-22
Jackson Co Central def. Spring Lake Park 25-13, 25-9
Chanhassen def. Spring Lake Park 25-22, 25-21
Mounds View def. Jackson Co Central 25-19, 16-25, 15-13
Mounds View def. Spring Lake Park 25-13, 25-11
Chanhassen def. Jackson Co Central 16-25, 25-17, 15-11

Prior Lake def. Hopkins 25-11, 25-21
St. Croix Lutheran def. St. Francis 25-9, 27-25
Hopkins def. St. Francis 25-10, 25-14
Prior Lake def. St. Croix Lutheran 25-14, 25-15
Prior Lake def. St. Francis 25-13, 25-15
St. Croix Lutheran def. Hopkins 26-24, 25-20

Delano def. Willmar 25-13, 25-15
Win-E-Mac def. St. Peter 25-16, 25-22
Delano def. St. Peter 25-17, 25-13
Win-E-Mac def. Willmar 25-15, 25-14
Willmar def. St. Peter 19-25, 25-13, 15-8
Delano def. Win-E-Mac 15-25, 25-23, 15-6

Fergus Falls def. East Ridge, 25-12, 25-21
Belle Plaine def. Farmington 25-14, 25-12
Fergus Falls def. Farmington 25-18, 21-15, 15-13
Belle Plaine def. East Ridge 25-20, 25-20
East Ridge def. Farmington 25-19, 25-23
Belle Plaine def. Fergus Falls 25-18, 25-23

Thief River Fals def. New Prague 25-19, 25-16
Monticello def. Holy Family 25-23, 25-19
Thief River Falls def. Holy Familiy 25-9, 28-26
New Prague def. Monticello 25-21, 25-19
New Prague def. Holy Family 25-16, 25-19
Thief River Falls def. Monticello 25-14, 25-21

Roseville def. Centennial 25-17, 25-21
Cannon Falls def. Mankato West 27-29, 25-20, 15-9
Cannon Falls def. Roseville 25-17, 25-21
Mankato West def. Centennial 25-19, 25-18
Cannon Falls def. Centennial 25-14, 25-19
Roseville def. Mankato West 25-20, 25-23

North St. Paul def. Moorhead, 25-20, 25-23
Southwest Christian def. Stewartville 25-27, 25-17, 17-15
North St. Paul def. Stewartville 25-21, 25-27, 15-12
Southwest Christian def. Moorhead, 25-20, 25-20
Stewartville def. Moorhead 25-20, 25-13
Southwest Christian def. North St. Paul 25-17, 30-28

Wayzata Gold def. Mora 25-18, 25-19
Osseo def. STMA 30-28, 25-21
Wayzata Gold def. STMA 25-11, 20-25, 15-8
Osseo def. Mora 25-13, 25-17
STMA def. Mora 25-17, 25-22
Osseo vs. Wayzata Gold 25-22, 25-22

Photos will be posted on Monday, Aug. 5.